Winter Celebrations
A Family Studies WebQuest
For First Grade and an Intermediate Partner
Designed by JoAnn Hughes. Library Media Specialist, Kent School District
Ramadan
Diwali
Christmas
Hanukkah
Kwanzaa
Chinese New
Year
Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Info
Introduction
First grade will continue their unit study of Family. For this part of the unit, Intermediate students will buddy up with a first
grade student. Students will explore family traditions of some winter holidays celebrated around the world. They will learn
about the different customs of, Ramadan, Diwali, Christmas, Hanukkah (Chanukah), Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year.
Students will
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Search Internet sites (provided) for information
Read for information from books and poems
Create a PowerPoint presentation using pictures that relate to those celebrations
Show the presentation to their classmates
Chart family traditions in the classroom, and
Compare student celebrations with other winter celebrations.
Students will gain awareness beyond the scope of their own personal traditions. Students also have the opportunity to talk
about a holiday tradition enjoyed in their own homes and work with a buddy intermediate student.
Objective: To expose students to various world cultural traditions and increase their social awareness by comparing and
contrasting other cultures and examining them in relation to their own.
Essential Question: How are families and their traditions alike and different in regards to winter celebrations?
The Task
1. Students will use the Super3 for Information Problem Solving for the very young: by: Mike Eisenberg
The Super3 contains the same basic elements as the Big6, but makes the language and the concepts a little simpler and
easier for younger students to understand. The Super3 are:
A. Plan - (Beginning) Students will ask themselves the following questions?
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What do we want to know or do?
What information will we need to know to complete the task? Internet URLs? Books? Videos?
B. Do - (Middle) Students will follow these tips to complete the task.
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Where will we find the information?
We will take notes.
We will record the information we find.
If we do not know what to do then, we will ask other students or the teacher for help.
We will take our information and put in the final presentation.
We will present our presentation.
C. Review - (End) Evaluation
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We may evaluate our own work.
We will be able to judge the product (effectiveness).
We will be able to judge the process (efficiency).
We will be evaluated by others (i.e., classmates, teacher, library media staff, parents).
2. Two primary students will work together with a buddy partner from an intermediate class. Together the students
will be assigned one winter holiday. The team will research the winter holiday and take notes on Six aspects of each
holiday. Student will take notes from their research.
3. The team will create a Power Point slide show. They will show the PPT with their classmates in an oral
presentation..
The Process
To accomplish the task:
A. Students will plan their project together using the Super 3.
B. Student teams will access and research online resources. *resources provided
C. Students will take notes.
D. Students will record the information. *Information form provided. (click here)
E. Students will look for the following information:
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Give a brief history of the holiday.
When does the celebration take place? (time of year)
Name some countries that celebrate this holiday?
Give examples of special foods.
Give examples of festive clothing.
Give examples of decorations.
Give some examples of how individual family's celebrate.
Compare and answer how this celebration is the same and/or different from your own winter
celebration? (Use the Inspiration double bubble or work sheet included).
Include in your final project a world map marked with where these celebrations are held. Color in
the map. Place the map on your PowerPoint. *Use map provided.. In your classroom, your
teacher will take everyone's information and mark a map with colored stick pins so everyone can
see the Winter celebration's geographical location.
E. Students will create a PowerPoint presentation.
F. Students will include written information as stated above as well as graphics that enhance the presentation.
G. Animate the slides.
H. Include where you found your sources.
Student Roles:
Intermediate students:
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Will go through the WebQuest with their partners.
Will look up the information using the sites provided.
Will help locate and read the information to their partners.
Will help the primary students in taking the notes.
Primary students:
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Will record the information on their work sheet with the help of their partner on the form provided.
Will participate in creating the Power Point.
Will participate in presenting the project.
** Team Members **
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Team members will research together.
Team members will decide together what to put in the notes.
The team will decide what things should be included in their project.
Each team member will make and share the PowerPoint presentation.
Student Worksheets and Templates
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Inspiration questions and answer form
Coming Soon
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Holiday Slide Show worksheet (Word document)
Holiday SS
Worksheet
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Comparing Holidays worksheet (Word document - use paper and pencil)
Comparing Holidays
Worksheet
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Presentation template (PowerPoint)
Holiday PPT
Template
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Religions of the world map (Word document)
Religions World Map
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Idea Double Bubble (Inspiration)
Information Resources
Internet Resource Sites:
Ramadan:
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http://www.holidays.net/ On left side of page, Click on: Ramadan
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/ramadan.html
Hannukkah (Chanukah):
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http://www.holidays.net/ On left side of page, Click on: Chanukah
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/chanukah/index.html
Christmas:
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http://www.holidays.net/ On the left side of the page, Click on: Christmas
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/xmas/around.html
Diwali:
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http://home.freeuk.com/elloughton13/dday.htm
o *Watch the slide show. Click on the arrow below first picture
http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/ruchiskitchen/festivals/deepavali.htm
http://www.matiyapatidar.com/diwali_fest.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/1214/Diwali.htm
Kwanzaa:
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http://www.google.com/ Click on: The Official Kwanzaa Web Site
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/kwanzaa/index.html
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http://www.holidays.net/kwanzaa/
Chinese New Year:
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http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/chineseny.html
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_new_year.htm
Books:
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Ramadan (On My Own Holidays); by Susan Douglas, 2003.
Ramadan by: David F. Marx A Rookie Reader; Children's Press, 2001.
Islam: Faith, Culture, History; by Paul Lunde, DK, 2002.
Chanukah; by David F. Marx , A Rookie Reader, Children's Press, 2001
Let's Get Ready for Hanukkah; by: Joanne Winne, Children's Press, 1991.
Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story; by Fran Manushkin
Festival Lights; The Story of Hanukkah; by Maida Silverman, Simon % Schuster, 1987
Kwanzaa; by: David F. Marx. Rookie Reader, Children's Press, 2001.
Kwanzaa; by: Dana Meachen, A New True Book, Grolier, 1991.
Christmas; by: Dana Meachen; A New True Book, Grolier, 1991.
Christmas; by: David F. Marx ; A Rookie Reader, Children's Press, 2001.
Diwali ; by: Christina Mia Gardeski
Diwali; by David F. Marx, A Rookie Reader, children's Press, 2001
Chinese New Year; by David Marx, A Rookie Reader, children's Press, 2001
Children Just Like Me: Celebrations; by Anabel Kindersley, DK, 1997.
Evaluation
Performance Task Assessment
Group Work
Element
I was ready to work with my group.
I finished my work on time and I did it well.
I was helpful to my group.
Possible
Points
Earned
Assessment
Self Teacher
I encouraged others in my group.
I listened to other students' ideas.
I was polite to others in my group.
Total:
Did I do my best work?
TERRIFIC
OK
NEEDS WORK
Adapted from materials developed by Pomperaug Regional School District, Middlebury, CT
Through an agreement with the Maryland Assessment Consortium, permission is granted to Maryland Public Schools to
reproduce this material for non-profit, educational use.
Process Assessment
Super 3 for Primary Students
Earned
Assessment
Plan Do Review
Possible
Points Self
Teacher
(check) (points)
Plan: What do we want to know?
10
Plan: What information do I need to know to complete the task?
10
Do: We found the information.
10
Do: We took notes.
10
Do: We recorded our notes.
10
Do: When we needed help, we asked for help.
10
Do: We took our information and put it in the final project.
20
Do: We presented our information in our PPT.
10
Evaluation:
10
Did we do our best work?
TERRIFIC
OK
NEEDS WORK
Total: 100
Conclusion
Students will gain awareness beyond the scope of their own personal traditions. Students also have the opportunity to talk
about a holiday tradition enjoyed in their own homes and work with a buddy intermediate student.
Credits & References
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The Super 3 for the Very Young; Information Problem Solving by Michael Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz.
Copyright: 1987. www.big6.com
Microsoft Clipart and Media Online; © 2004 Microsoft Corporation
Graphics from Kids Domain; ©2004 Kaboose Inc. http://www.kidsdomain.com/
Webquest template adapted from The WebQuest Page
Theodora Maps .com
Pomperaug Regional School District, Middlebury, CT; The Maryland Assessment Consortium, Maryland Public
Schools
Teacher Information
First grade Social Studies- Families in Our Communities.
This WebQuest is the final part of the Families Unit.
Hopefully students will realize that winter is a dark and dreary time and all of these holidays have lights in one form of
another in common. These lights brighten everyone during the bleak winter months.
Geography:
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Use simple maps and charts to collect information.
Compare and contrast families in terms of roles, where they live, the jobs they, cultural traditions, holidays
celebrated (or not) and other features.
Use of maps and globes to locate information.
Compare and contrast how families in other places are alike and different based on their geographical settings.